This application claims the priority of German Application No. 199 16 924.1, filed Apr. 14, 1999, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a selecting device for selecting operating positions of a motor vehicle transmission.
German Patent Document DE 197 14 495 A1 describes such a selecting device, in which case the display of the currently selected operating position and the display of each individual selectable operating position is always shown at the same point of the display device. For selecting a defined operating position, the control element must in each case always be respectively deflected into the same direction.
According to the prior art, a selector lever can be displaced in two parallel operating planes and one operating plane arranged perpendicularly thereto. In this case, four moving directions occur for selecting a new operating position of an automatic transmission for the step-by-step shifting and automatic driving position system operating modes. In order to achieve six selectable operating positions with four possible movement directions, two different operating positions in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are required for the selector lever. One operating position is that for the step-by-step operating mode. The other operating position is the starting position of the selector lever of the automatic transmission in the automatic driving position system operating mode. Between these two operating positions, the selector lever can be shifted back and forth in the transverse direction.
In the step-by-step shifting operating position, the individual gears can be manually shifted by moving the selector lever. In this case, the selector lever automatically always returns into its operating position for the step-by-step operating mode. The other operating position of the selector lever, into which the selector lever can be moved by a pivoting in the transverse direction of the vehicle, is used for the automatic driving position operating mode. The deflecting directions in this operating position point in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, as well as in the transverse direction of the vehicle. The selector lever returns automatically also in the automatic driving position operating mode.
By means of an analyzing circuit, (not shown in the reference), a display device is triggered. The display device is mounted in the viewing area of the driver and displays the operating position currently selected by means of the selector lever, as well as the additional optionally selectable operating positions of the motor vehicle transmission. In this case, more operating positions of the motor vehicle transmission can be used than deflecting directions exist for the control elementxe2x80x94the selector lever. Furthermore, the display of each individual non-selected operating position is always shown at the same point of the display device. When selecting a new operating position using the selector lever, this selector lever is in each case deflected in the same direction for a certain operating position respectively.
A selector lever, by means of which using four possible movement directions, six selectable operating positions can be selected, has the disadvantage that no simple intuitive operating concept can be achieved for the driver. This is because the selector lever must be moved not only in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, but also in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle having an automatically shifted transmission, which is triggered by way of an electric transmission control device, whose operating positions can be triggered in an intuitively simple manner by the driver using a selector lever.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that at least one selector lever is used as the operating element in the case of a motor vehicle having a driving motor and an automatically shifted transmission, particularly an automatic transmission. By means of this selector lever, a driver triggers an electric transmission control device which, as a function of an operating position for the automatically shifted transmission selected on the selector lever and of other operating parameters of the motor vehicle, controls the automatically shifted transmission, in which case, by deflecting the selector lever, certain operation positions of the automatically shifted transmission are selected, and this selector lever can be moved along at least one shifting channel for preselecting individual driving positions in the automatic operation, into at least two deflecting directions and automatically returns from the two deflecting positions into always the same starting position. In this case, always the same driving position of the automatically shifted transmission is assigned to each deflecting direction of the selector lever in the shifting channel for the preselecting of individual driving positions in the automatic operation, and, in at least one deflecting direction of the selector lever, two different driving positions can be selected in that the selector lever, for selecting a first driving position, can be moved a first distance to a first stop in the deflecting direction, and, for selecting a second driving position, the selector lever can be moved a second longer distance to a second stop into the same deflecting direction, in which case the first stop can be overpressed.
This has the advantage that, also in the event of a breakdown of the display device for the operating positions, a secure and comfortable engagement of each operating position can be carried out by the driver. The operating concept is easily remembered and can be intuitively understood. A parking position function can be designed so that it can be automatically engaged.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, up to four different driving positions can be selected using the selector lever, which can be moved into two deflecting directions. The selector lever can be moved in both deflecting directions for selecting one driving position respectively in each case to a first stop, and, for selecting another driving position respectively, the selector lever can be moved a second larger distance in each case by overpressing the first stop, to a second stop.
This has the advantage that, using the selector lever, in a shifting plane, at least the four absolutely required driving positions for the automatic positions can be selected, such as the driving operation (D), the reversing operation (R), the neutral position (N) in which no driving force is transmitted to the vehicle wheels; and the parking position (P) in which a parking brake blocks the driving wheels.
An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that, by means of the selector lever, which can be moved in two deflecting directions, the driving position N is selected, in that the selector lever is moved into one of the deflecting directions to the first stop.
Thus, by tipping (pivoting) the selector lever, in contrast to the overpressing, the neutral position of the automatically shiftable transmission is engaged, In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which the selector lever can be moved in a steering wheel plane, the driving position N can be engaged by a tipping in the upward direction, if prior to that the driving positions P or D were engaged. By a tipping in the downward direction, the driving position N can be engaged if prior to that the driving positions P or R were engaged.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that, by means of the selector lever, which can be moved in two deflecting directions, the driving position P is selected in that the selector lever is moved into one of the deflecting directions to the first stop. The driving position P is advantageously engaged here by means of tipping, in which case it may also be provided that the driving positions P, R and N are sequentially engaged by means of tipping. For driving position D, it must then be provided that it can basically only be engaged by overpressing, but from any position. Likewise, it may preferably be provided that the driving position P is engaged from any position by overpressing. In the case of the sequential shifting of the driving positions P, R, N and D, it is important that at least one end position is achieved from any position by overpressing.
In other advantageous embodiments of the invention, it can then be provided that, by means of the selector lever, which can be moved into two deflecting directions, the driving position R is selected in that the selector lever is moved into one of the deflecting directions to the first stop, or that, by means of the selector lever which can be moved into two deflecting directions, the driving position R is selected, in that this selector lever is moved into one of the deflecting directions, particularly in a direction which is directed upward in a steering wheel plane, by overpressing the first stop, to the second stop. Furthermore, a preferred embodiment of the invention is characterized in that, by means of the selector lever which can be moved into two deflecting directions, the driving position D is selected. This selector lever is moved into one of the deflecting directions, particularly into a direction which is directed downward in a steering wheel plane, by overpressing the first stop, to the second stop. In the case of this solution, the overpressing is always required for the drive connection position. The driver""s intention is recognized independently of the actual position and the history, which results in a secure and intuitive operating concept.
In the case of another preferred embodiment of the invention, the operating position (Pxe2x80x94the parking function) is automatically engaged by the transmission control device when certain operating parameters are present. As an alternative and/or in addition, the operating position P can be engaged by operating a manually operable operating device, particularly a tip switch on the selector lever, which is independent of the selector lever movement.
This has the advantage that engagement of the parking position using the operating device is clearly separated from the selection of the other driving positions, which further increases the clarity and the intuitive operating possibility.
When a visual indicating device is present, which displays the respectively engaged operating position and the operating position which can be engaged by the selector lever with the operating direction and operating mode of the selector lever required for this purpose, this has the advantage that control and information possibilities for the driver increase the operating reliability of the selecting device. This is particularly advantageous if, by way of the electric transmission control device, alternative operating possibilities of the automatically shifted transmission can be selected, for example, the step-by-step shifting of the gears in the manual operation or the preselecting of individual driving positions in the automatic operation (D, R, N, P) on the basis of another characteristic shifting curve, particularly with a sportier adaptation.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the operating positions of the automatically shifted transmission in the alternative operation are selected at least partially by the selector lever. Here, the operating positions additionally at least partially can be displayed by the visual indicating device. Thus, the selecting device is advantageously designed such that the driver is able to decide to use the step-by-step shifting operation or the automatic driving position system, without the requirement of additional operating elements or indicating devices.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.